Mateo, a researcher who loves to travel, is on his way to Pokémon GO! He enjoys collecting and exchanging Postcards and gifts from all over the world, and he is excited to meet you at the end of your journey on a Route. To encounter Mateo:

1. As you near the End Point of a Route, Mateo may be waiting for you with some gifts he has collected!
2. Begin a dialogue with Mateo in order to exchange a gift with him.
3. Choose which of Mateo’s gifts to exchange amongst the Route End Point, Route Start Point, or even a gift from a nearby Pokéstop.
4. Add a sticker if you like, and select ‘Exchange’
5. Get ready for the exchange to happen, and open up your new memento from another Trainer! Feel free to pin the postcard as well for safe-keeping.

As a note, you can participate in a Gift Exchange with Mateo once a day.

Routes and Party Play

Get the party started in Pokémon GO! Trainers within a party can now complete Routes together. What Routes are you most excited to explore with your friends?

Learn more about Party Play, Pokémon GO’s new feature that transforms the way you play Pokémon GO with your friends, here.

1 million Routes created worldwide!

It’s time for a celebration! Since Routes’ launch in July, Trainers all over have helped to create amazing Routes for their communities to enjoy. We have made it to 1 million Routes created globally, and we’re excited for how much more there is in store for Trainers to explore.

Want to learn more about Routes? Check out our Routes page here.

As we continue to make Routes an even more fun experience, here’s what Trainers can expect to see now:

• Increased Routes availability across the globe for more Trainers to enjoy
• Lowered the level requirement for Trainers to create Routes
• Several quality of life improvements, including seeing even more Routes within the Nearby menu, directional arrows now displayed on Routes, and the number of Zygarde Cells now shown within the Zygarde Cube details

In the future, Trainers can expect for Routes to continue to spring up around the world as more are approved. In addition:

• More Trainers will begin to have access to creating Routes
• Zygarde cells will become more frequent on Routes
• A new notification will be available to inform Trainers when there are Routes nearby
• Quality of life improvements

We’re excited for all that is to come, and who knows what more is on the horizon? Be sure to check out the Routes page to keep up to date!